Lay

subs. (old).—1.  A pursuit; a scheme; a device; A LURK.

  Also in combination, KINCHIN-LAY (q.v.); AVOIRDUPOIS-LAY (q.v.); KEN-CRACK-LAY = housebreaking; FANCY-LAY = pugilism.

  ENGLISH SYNONYMS.  Dodge; game; huff; job; knack; lay-out; line; lurk; lug; move; outfit; racket; shake; show; swim.

  FRENCH SYNONYMS.  La balle (thieves’: also secret); un truc (popular: any kind of small trade: le truc = thieving; le grand truc = murder; des trucs = things. From Provençal tric = deceit); le pêgrage or pégrasse (thieves’): le grinchissage (thieves’: specifically theft).

  SPANISH SYNONYMS.  Alicantina (= stratagem); amaño (= intrigue); andromina (also = trick or fraud); barrabasada (also = plot or intrigue); brega (also = pun or jest); engañifa (also = catch-penny); gatada (also = scurvy trick); pega or pegata (also = imposition).

  c. 1520.  The Booke of Mayd Emlyn, in RIMBAULT, Antient Poetical Tracts (Percy Society, 1841), 25. 6.

  1647.  BEAUMONT and FLETCHER, Bonduca, i. 2.

  1703.  FARQUHAR, The Inconstant, i. 1. We fancy he must have something extraordinary about him to please us, and that we have something engaging about us to secure him; so we can’t be quiet till we put ourselves upon the LAY of being both disappointed.

  1706.  J. H. BURTON, The History of the Reign of Queen Anne (1880), Vol. ii. p. 159. After having reconnoitred it [Alicant], I would have given something to have been off of the LAY, having found it quite another sort of a place than what it was represented to me to be.

  1713.  WODROW, Analecta (Maitland Club), ii. 357. He an’ the Treasurer have been at much pains to break steele off the LAY he is upon.

  1725.  A New Canting Dictionary, s.v. LAY, an Enterprise, or Attempt; To be sick of the Lay, To be tir’d in waiting for an opportunity to effect their Purposes. Also an Hazard or Chance; as, He stands a queer Lay; He stands an odd Chance, or is in great Danger.

  1779.  R. CUMBERLAND, The Wheel of Fortune, iii. 2. Livery Serv. No offence to you, Mr. Weazel, but we would fain know what LAY we are to be upon; and whether the strange gentleman will be agreeable to allow us for bags, canes, and nosegays.

  1785.  GROSE, A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, s.v.

  1811.  GROSE and CLARKE, Lexicon Balatronicum, s.v.

  1819.  T. MOORE, Tom Crib’s Memorial to Congress, p. 36.

  1836.  DICKENS, Oliver Twist, ch. xliii. The LAY is just to take that money away. Ibid. (1852), Bleak House, ch. vi. He’s no to be found on his old LAY.

  1859.  G. W. MATSELL, Vocabulum; or, The Rogue’s Lexicon, s.v. LAY. A particular kind of rascality, trade or profession…. ‘What’s the cove’s LAY?’ ‘Why … he’s on the KEN’S CRACK’ [LAY]—house-breaking.

  1861.  H. KINGSLEY, Ravenshoe, ch. xli. One on ’em plays the bagpipes with a bellus against the waterbutt of a Sunday evening when they’re off the LAY.

  1865.  Daily Review, Feb. Captain Corbett said the vessel was going on the same LAY that the Alabama had gone. I afterwards went back in the Laurel to Teneriffe.

  1877.  W. H. THOMSON, Five Years’ Penal Servitude, iii. 144. His peculiar ‘LAY’ or line of business, which always brought him into trouble, was the stealing of pewter pots.

  1888.  J. RUNCIMAN, The Chequers, 82. Blakey’s found out as you’ve got respectable relations as wouldn’t like to see your name in the papers, and he’s goin’ to ’ave a new LAY on.

  1889.  Answers, 27 July, p. 136, col. 2. The secret marks have considerable significance. They briefly tell the begging-letter writer what sort of LAY to come for. Each charitable person has his, or her, particular soft spot, and it is this which the begging-letter writer endeavours to ascertain.

  1892.  KIPLING, Barrack-Room Ballads, ‘The Widow’s Party.’ Out with the rest on a picnic LAY.

  1895.  H. B. MARRIOTT-WATSON, The King’s Treasure, in The New Review, July, p. 2. For it was his aim to stand in security somewhere half-way ’twixt us fellows and the Law, and squeeze the both; and but that he had the lives of scores upon his tongue, and was very useful withal at a pinch, both to us on the LAY and to the traps, he would have been hanged or pistolled for his pains long since.

  2.  (common).—A wager.

  1591.  GREENE, The Second Part of Conny-catching, in Works, vol. x. p. 83. These fellows will refuse no LAY if the ods may grow to their aduantage.

  1602.  SHAKESPEARE, Othello, ii. 8. My fortunes to any LAY worth naming.

  1606.  JOHN DAY, The Ile of Guls, ii. 5, p. 57. Lis. Badd’s the best. I winne her for ten crownes; and there they be. Vist. I take your LAY.

  1630.  MASSINGER, The Renegado, iii. 4.

  1672.  LACY, The Old Troop, v. 1. Lieut. Now it’s an even LAY whether this Farce be a Comedy or a Tragedy.

  1735.  OLDYS, Life of Sir W. Raleigh. Looked upon it as an uneven LAY to stake himself against Sir Amias.

  3.  (old).—A quantity.

  1821.  D. HAGGART, Life, p. 49. We had a weighty LAY of them that same evening.

  4.  (old).—Goods.

  1821.  D. HAGGART, Life, p. 8. Flash-kanes where I might fence my snib’d LAYS.

  5.  (American).—See quot.

  1883.  GEORGE, Progress and Poverty, Bk. I. ch. iii. On American whaling ships the custom is not to pay fixed wages, but a LAY, or proportion of the catch, which varies from a sixteenth to a twelfth to the captain down to a three-hundredth to the cabin-boy.

  Verb. (colloquial).—1.  To wager. TO LAY ONE’S SHIRT = to stake one’s all.

  ENGLISH SYNONYMS.  To lump on; to plank down; to do a flutter; to wire; to slant; to snap; to tot.

  c. 1563.  Jacke Jugeler, p. 73 (ed. GROSART).

  1591.  GREENE, The Second Part of Conny-catching [GROSART, vol. x. p. 84]. I take six to one saies the Gripe, I LAY it saies the vincent, and so they make a bet.

  1597–8.  MUNDAY and CHETTLE, The Playe of Robyn Hode. Robyn Hode. ‘I will LAI with the Litel John, twenti pound so read.’

  1601.  SHAKESPEARE, Twelfth Night, iii. 4. Fab. Come, let’s see the event. Sir To. I dare LAY any money ’twill be nothing yet.

  1751.  FIELDING, Amelia, Bk. x. ch. v. ‘If the knowing ones were here, they would LAY odds of our side.’

  1754.  MARTIN, English Dictionary, 2nd ed., s.v.

  1844.  MORRIS, Lyra Urbanica [Notes and Queries, 7 S. vi. 40].

  1851.  F. E. SMEDLEY, Lewis Arundel, xxxiii. ‘Your sister’s been five minutes already, and I’d LAY a bet we don’t see her for five more.’

  1864.  Derby Day, p. 50. Now I’ll bet the Littl’un would pay delicate attention to anyone who might come unawares into the stable without any right to do so. I’ll LAY you an even pony, he’d help ’em out of the door in a manner more forcible than pleasant.

  1892.  T. A. GUTHRIE (‘F. Anstey’), Voces Populi, p. 72. I’ll LAY you can’t knock a rabbit down.

  2.  (old).—To watch; to search; to lie in wait. ON THE LAY = on the alert; at work. Also TO LAY FOR and TO LAY BY.

  1603.  KNOLLES, The Generall Historie of the Turkes, p. 569. [He] embarking … being … hardly LAID FOR at sea.

  1605.  MARSTON, JONSON & CHAPMAN, Eastward Hoe, iv. 1. To. Where are they? Let’s go presently and LAY FOR them. Go. I have done that already, sir, both by constables and other officers.

  1608.  MIDDLETON, A Trick to Catch the Old One, i. 2. I have been LAYING all the town for thee.

  1859.  G. W. MATSELL, Vocabulum; or, The Rogue’s Lexicon, s.v. LAY. … on the look out; watching for something to steal.

  1884.  S. L. CLEMENS (‘Mark Twain’), The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, v. ‘I’ll LAY for you, my smarty; and if I catch you about that school I’ll tan you good.’

  TO LAY ABOUT, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To strike on all sides; to fight vigorously.

  TO LAY AT, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To attempt to strike; to aim a blow.

  TO LAY BY THE HEELS, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To put in prison or the stocks: see HEELS.

  TO LAY DOWN, verb. phr. (thieves’).—To play cards.

  TO LAY DOWN ONE’S KNIFE AND FORK, verb. phr. (common).—To die; TO GO ALOFT (q.v.); to HOP THE TWIG (q.v.).

  1888.  All the Year Round, 9 June, p. 543. To ‘hop the twig,’ to ‘peg out,’ to LAY DOWN ONE’S KNIFE AND FORK, & the like [phrases for dying], are more flippant than humorous.

  TO LAY A DUCK’S EGG, verb. phr. (common).—See DUCK’S EGG and CROCKETTS.

  TO LAY IN, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To attack with vigor.

  1888.  BOLDREWOOD, Robbery under Arms, VII. The eggs and bacon, my word! how Jim did LAY IN.

  TO LAY IN ONE’S DISH, verb. phr. (old).—To object a thing to a person; to make an accusation against him.

  1615.  HARINGTON, Epigrams, i. 27.

  1663.  BUTLER, Hudibras, I. iii. 209.

  TO LAY INTO, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To thrash.

  1838.  D. JERROLD, Men of Character (John Applejohn), xiii. I shall be very happy … to go and hold the door, while you LAY INTO the ruffian.

  TO LAY IT ON (and superlatively, TO LAY IT ON THICK), verb. phr. (colloquial).—To exceed—in speech, splendour, expense, charges, praise, etc.; TO EMBROIDER (q.v.).

  1560.  Nice Wanton [DODSLEY, Old Plays, 1874, ii. 167].

  1609–10.  SHAKESPEARE, Tempest, iii. 2. I would I could see this taborer: he LAYS IT ON. Ibid. (1611), Winter’s Tale, iv. 3. I cannot do ’t without counters. Let me see; what am I to do for our sheep-shearing feast? Three pounds of sugar; five pounds of currants;—rice—What will this sister of mine do with rice? But my father hath made her mistress of the feast, and she LAYS IT ON.

  1821.  COMBE, Dr. Syntax, Wife, c. 1.

  1832–53.  Whistle-Binkie (Scottish Songs), Ser. II. 68. He could ‘LAY ON the cadge’ better than ony walleteer.

  1891.  Tit-Bits, 15 Aug., p. 296, col. 1. Mr. Draper is compelled to LAY IT ON THICK.

  TO LAY OFF, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To give over.

  1888.  Detroit Free Press, 20 Oct. Then the Governor of Michigan had to embarrass me by proclaiming a state holiday of some brand or other, and my hired man said he guessed he’d have to LAY OFF that day.

  TO LAY ONESELF FORTH (or OUT), verb. phr. (colloquial).—To exert oneself rigorously and earnestly.

  TO LAY ONESELF OPEN, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To expose oneself.

  TO LAY ONESELF OUT FOR, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To be ready and willing to take part in anything.

  TO LAY OUT, verb. phr. (colloquial).—1.  To get the better of; to disable (as with a blow); to kill; to COOK ONE’S GOOSE (q.v.).

  2.  (colloquial).—To intend; to purpose; to propose.

  TO LAY OVER, verb. phr. (colloquial).—1.  To excel.

  1870.  BRET HARTE, The Luck of Roaring Camp. They’ve a street up there in ‘Roaring’ that would LAY OVER any street in Red Dog.

  A GOOD LAY, subs. phr. (tailors’).—An economical method of cutting; anything beneficial.